M.I.Y.O. Monday: Where Is Your Favorite Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant? (And what do you eat there?)

This M.I.Y.O. Monday question is extra special – it comes from a reader of DCF.

Hole-in-the-wall restaurants are a unique breed of eating place. The food is as straightforward as one can get, it’s cheap, and it takes some imagination to describe any of them as having any “ambience.” I’d like to say that holes-in-the-wall serve food fast but I’ve been to some where that’s not the case.

One of my posts this week is about my favorite hole-in-the-wall so I won’t say too much here. But do tell me where YOUR favorite hole-in-the-wall is and please say what you eat there. We eat and share on Dessert Comes First, after all.

And yes, if you have ideas for future M.I.Y.O. Monday questions, shout it out. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Comments

Hoseñas Bulalo along Kalentong near the corner of Shaw Blvd. has the best bulalo that i’ve ever tried. as the name suggests, the place serves only bulalo. you can either get just a bowl of bulalo (broth and huge chunks of meat) or you can get the litid (a huge bone with the marrow and chunks of litid clinging onto the bone for it’s dear life). i always get the bulalo and the litid.

real hole-in-the-wall. you enter a panaderia, with the same name, and go up a flight of stairs to the second floor. 🙂

Aldwin, 24 hours pa ba ang Hoseña’s? I have great memories of that place, my dad would order up a huge bowl, and we’d make this ritual of mixing up calamansi, toyo and chili peppers to dip the beef in. Yummy! Especially during a rainy day, and they serve up a newly-cooked batch of rice.

Rodic’s in UP Diliman. Simple, Pinoy fare (we order the specialty, of course: tapsilog). It’s in the UP Shopping Center – that entire “mall” imbibed the hole-in-the-wall concept. There’s one near Makati Med (not sure of the street name) although I can’t vouch if they taste the same, haven’t been to the Makati one.

When in Makati, we go to Amber’s Best for that HITW craving: Pancit Malabon, Pork BBQ and Pichi-Pichi. End of discussion, more munching! Nom, nom, nom…

Definitely Jaza Jazz in Tagaytay. It’s located just before Picnic Grove, beside T House.
I can’t go to Tagaytay without dropping by that unique cafe w/c boasts not only of locally grown coffee beans, but also of some artworks by Cavite artists and photographers. They don’t have the most awesome food selection, but their hot and cold drinks are amazing. My favorite: Kapeng Pinoy, Tsokolate-Eh, and Tsokolate-Ah (plus hot pan de sal w/ kesong puti).

It’s been around since 2004, I think. People should try it out. The owners are very friendly, and they sometimes hold a raffle draw/auction of the artworks that are displayed w/in the store. Who knows, you might just score a really cool (not to mention expensive) art piece. 😉

Mine’s gotta be Makchang Korean Restaurant on Maria Orosa in Malate. I go there for the pork belly and the side the green onion ribbons and bean sprouts marinated in the best-tasting chili sesame oil dressing ever. It’s out of this world, Lori! You must try it!!!

Mine is a little difficult to describe in terms of location because it’s in one of the tight telahan pasilios in Divisoria. The carinderia type place doesn’t have a name. The literal hole in the wall serves the best que kiam (I order it “halo” which comes with the innards like bituka & atay and tons of raw papaya slices with the sweet red sauce) and chicken mami. Been going there with my mom since I was about 9 years old. The place is run by a Chinese family for generations and it hasn’t changed one bit. 🙂 Next time I go, I will make sure to get the address and directions.

Is this the place where the original seller of the que kiam is named Simang? And the que kiam is not the usual shaped in a roll ones? I think we’re talking about the same que kiam place in the telahan area. We’ve been getting que kiam halo from Simang’s since I was a kid too! 🙂

Lori, if you’re ever in Chinatown, look for Quick Snack along Carvajal St. in Binondo. I love their kidney misua soup, and their halo-halo is a sentimental favorite. I also like their fried kuchay pao (sort of like a Chinese empanada). My brother swears by the batchoy bihon soup. 🙂

Does Mien San still count as a hole-in-the-wall? We still eat there ALOT. And even if they renovated, prices are still value-for-money-cheap.

Before it was renovated (to the new spacious place it is now), we almost got held up! Customers on the 1st floor (and the cash register of course) lost almost all their valuables and cash on hand. Thank God we ate on the 2nd floor! It was a sad day for Mien San then but our family of 7 pax, got free dinner! The cash register obviously did not have any change.

BUT even after that traumatic experience, we still are regulars at Mien San. I’ve even influenced friends to visit. And they are now Mien San regulars because of me. Hehehe!

Didi-
I’ve been eating in Mien San since I was in college and I still love it as much. Yeah, let’s still count it as a hole-in-the-wall. :p I think it’s insane that you narrowly averted being held up. That would’ve really ruined the meal.

Dannylicious in Proj.4, Quezon City for barbecue, isaw, kilawin, tenga and other grilled stuff. If I’m not mistaken it’s in Kalantiaw St. I’ve been to almost every barbecuehan in the city, for me, theirs is the best.

For those of you who are from San Mateo, Rizal, F4 Panciteria is my favorite hole-in-the-wall in that area. The cooks there used to be from Luyong (a popular restaurant in Marikina). Try their Pinagulong na Pancit Canton (with lechon) and Lumpiang Shanghai (which is not your typical, payat and panay lumpia wrapper). Food is a little greasy though but you can ask them to cook with less oil.

Oh, I can go on and on and on. Hole in the wall restos are my favorites. When I answered the survey I wrote that DCF should feature them as well! Thanks for making an entry on it!

Hey Lara,
Thanks and fantastic idea.
Dannylicious, that’s one I have not heard in a while 🙂 It is good and the long line of cars in front of it is just crazy. We probably live near each other because Luyong is still a family favorite, but I have to say Edongs is also really good(fried gizzards and liver and miki-bihon con lechon). You’re right there are WAY too many good places to eat. Even UPLB has 2 gems: Papu’s for siomai and Batcave. Thanks again!

Hi Lori, there’s a small stall in Shopsville (3rd floor) which sells the best and cheapest tacos! Can’t remember it’s exact location but ask any storekeeper in GH and they’ll point you there. Also, there’s this carenderia beside Rockwell which serves the best tokwa’t baboy. Sorry, it’s been ages since I was there so I forget now the name and location!

My favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant is Mang Toots’, located at P. Noval St. in Manila. It’s right beside UST. We go there for the uber-tasty sisig and breaded chicken with tartar sauce.
Mang Toots, the friendly owner, used to cook on a ship. His sisig is very famous among UST students. I dare say it is THE best in that area. It’s even better than the one served in Almer’s. Though the sisig there is quite good also.

My favorite is a small steak restaurant in Sct Ybardolaza, QC. They serve great steaks plus really good mashed potatoes.

My personal favorite is the crispy ribs and the taco salad. Resto’s name is Cow King Steak Sizzles. You might say this is similar to the regular cheap sizzling steak places but there’s good lighting and the mashed potatoes are made from real potatoes and not the powdered kind.

My favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant is Mang Toots’, located at P. Noval St. in Manila. It’s right beside UST. We go there for the uber-tasty sisig and breaded chicken with tartar sauce.

Mang Toots, the friendly owner, used to cook on a ship I think. His sisig is widely popular among UST students. I dare say it is THE best in that area. Even better than the one served in Almer’s. Though the sisig there is quite good too.

Don-day Fresh Restaurant in Teacher’s Village is one of my favorites. They have a Korean buffet for 300 pesos. Pretty cheap since I always eat a buttload of samgyupsal whenever I go there. Plus their appetizers are all good.

Greenhills tacos? Must be Kealoha (is my spelling right?). They still have a stall in Shopesville, same one and another in the theatre area. But I find it expensive now considering that the taco is small. But the taste is the same, sarap pa din.

When people say necessity is the mother of invention, I say hunger-born-of- traffic and closed restaurants at night are the god-mother of fantastic hole in the wall finds. Mine is beside Balai Isabel in Tagaytay. About a minute drive away to the right when you get out of Balai Isabel. It is near the church I think. I don’t know what the name is, but at night it’s the only one open. They have fantastic pansit and lomi, and very decent sisig (not the fancy sizzling kind, just regular chewy yummy sisig). There is chicharon galore on the lomi and I find that the Lomi is one of the best I’ve had, second only to the lomi place at the foot of Mt. Makulot. And Lori – I am told the same, that I’d never eat at a place like that but good food is good food, no matter the packaging or ambience.

Lori,
The Talisay lomi house is just past Balai Isabel. Once you go down that winding road to Balai, go a little bit further about a kilometer. Once you cross the mini bridge you’ll find a street on the left that goes straight to a church. On the right side of that is this hole in the wall lomi / pansit place. If I go back next year I’ll take pictures 🙂
For the Mt. Makulot Lomi place, it’s a lomi noodle factory in the palengke at the foot of Mt. Makulot. So you can just imagine, ALL of the ingredients are crazy fresh. The last time I was there was 1997 and I still remember it 🙂 I hope it’s still there. I think all mountain climbers who regularly go to Mt. Makulot will know that little place, it’s definitely an adventure to go that far 🙂

hmmm.. i dunno if it qualifies as a hole in thw wall anymore, since it’s big.. but shawarma snack center in one of the side streets of malate is fantastic. theres 2 of them right across eachother. the one thats open air and smaller is more authentic..

Mine would be Gotohan sa Hardin (formerly known as Gotohan sa Halamanan) it’s at Ortigas Ave. Ext., near the entrance to Brookside in Cainta.

My (late) grandaunt used to own it and it’s always my point of comparison when it comes to: dinuguan (they adobo theirs first – so good), halo-halo, sago’t gulaman, palabok, puto, lumpiang prito and tokwa’t baboy.

Also, PVL in Mandaluyong (in the street I grew up in) and RJ’s Bulalohan near the Mandaluyong Circle.

I’m really not quite sure if these restaurants count as holes-in-the-wall.

But I love Pino. It’s along Malingap Street in Teacher’s Village. I love how they reinvent classic Filipino dishes and make them even better, like their Kare-Kareng Bagnet and Red Wine Adobong Tadyang. And their chocolate tempura is a really interesting dessert! Their flavored beers should not be missed either!

I also love Cookbook Kitchen (I know, they already have a branch in Eastwood but I think it’s undeniable that their Mandaluyong restaurant is as holey as any hole-in-the-wall restaurant gets, right?). I could probably die with their adobo pasta and scarlet cake as a last meal!

Elsewhere, I love Galileo Enotica (along Calbayog in Mandaluyong) for awesome Italian cuisine, Luyong (somewhere in Marikina) for their incomparable lumpiang shanghai, and Thuk Thai (originally, a legitimate hole-in-the-wall restaurant but, now, just a plain legitimate restaurant in Ortigas) for their mouth-watering curry!!!

whenever we find ourselves in makati cinema square (rummaging through “dee-bee-dees”), we usually end up dining at this hole-in-the-wall eatery, which used to be known as the magnolia ice cream house. it now goes by the name “cinema square foods and snack” and serves really good chinese dishes. our favorites are the fried chicken, pancit canton and beef with ampalaya.

Dong Bei Dumplings in Binondo. Most people go for the dumplings; i like the pork and kuchay ones. but i also go there for the chicken or beef xin jiang (a delicious spice mix, which tastes part chinese and part middle eastern. if i had to guess what’s in it, i’d say szechuan peppercorns, chili flakes, cumin, ginger & garlic) and the fried rice, which is simple yet so good (an almost al dente slightly sticky long grain rice, with a smokey taste (from frying in a hot, hot wok).

two of my other favorite hole-in-the-wall resto’s are in BF Homes Paranaque, Phase 1. one is a barbecue stand which has no sign (so i don’t know the name). but it is on the corner near one-stop mart. there are two electric fans facing a huge grill, which creates lotsa heat, resulting in very crispy barbecued pork parts. i love isaw and the pig ears. :9

the other would be a stone’s throw away, along president’s avenue, just across from the caltex station. there is a sign that says “gotong batangas.” inside you can grab a big, piping bowl of delecious gotong batangas for just P39!

i love the ritual of getting my goto. first, pre-cooked very tender beef, tripe, sweetbreads and fresh local red onions are chopped up and put into a bowl..then a hot, extremely flavorful, almost thick stock (it thickens up from the gelatin in the bones) is poured over. spike it with calamansi and some chopped fresh chili, and eat it on its own or with rice. perfect for a rainy day like this. 🙂

My favorite hole-in-the-wall place has got to be this panciteria in the wet market section of Divisoria mall (basement). It’s called Five Ladies’ and I get their palabok pino (thinner noodles). The sauce is orange and black (happy Halloween) because it incorporates what I believe is the traditional palabok sauce made from shrimp heads, and a black sauce made from squid heads and probably ink sacs. The sahog is fried pork fat, those crunchy pieces as big as my thumbnail that whose crust gives way to a rush of oil and that taste that only pig fat can offer. It also has bits of what I think are chicharon laman, and sliced boiled egg. I have this with a glass of halo-halo.

As this place is at the border of dried fish country, it can get smelly and a little (?) dirty but I’ve never gotten sick after eating here.

Incidentally, this was my favorite place to go to on the weekend after I got my braces adjusted. So it was all feel-good vibes for me. =)

Hi Lori! Big fan of your blog. I know it’s kind of late to answer this but there’s this place near the Angelo King building of Benilde, called “chicken chicken”. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it but it’s pretty popular especially among the students around the area.

It’s located in Estrada St. but it doesn’t have an actual sign so it might be hard to find (I suggest asking one of the students in Angelo King hehe). They serve the best crispy fried chicken with a really yummy unique sauce. It’s not your typical gravy or ketchup but it’s a special concoction invented by the owner that’s sweet, fragrant, spice-y (meaning full of spices not maanghang) and sticky! Goes very well with the chicken. Must try!

Might as well try their liempo while you’re there. Not what they’re known for but it’s the next best thing.=)

Late post.. but i would recommend an eatery along binakod st. in makati left side along jp rizal going to sta ana.
The specialty is Torta but the rest of the meals are good too. My faves are adobong pusit and bopis..

My fave hole-in-the-wall is “Suka’t Sili” along D. Tuazon QC. I always order their Cristy Hito (said to be the favorite of Former President Erap) and their salad of ripe mangoes, green tomatoes, onion and homemade bagoong. Their halo-halo is also good. Comfort food that’s light on the budget! 🙂

Aling Sosing’s carinderia, at the corner of Dian and Zobel Roxas Streets in Makati. It’s so hole-in-wall, that it is next to a jeepney terminal and has a vulcanizing shop for a neighbor. But it’s jam-packed during lunch on weekdays. You joust for a spot at the plastic tables and stools. Then you ask the big lady and her staff who wear those aprons filled with “panukli”, for their specialty – nilagang baka. It’s sinful, the soup is swimming in fat and marrow, with tender chunks of beef and a generous dash of peppercorns. Veggies are almost non-existent in the mix! I love the fact that this hot, steamy place has an interesting mixture of clients – from jeepney and taxi drivers to Makati yuppies braving the traffic and fighting over parking space just to get here. I love the huge pots of soup and the other – equally artery-clogging – food choices in their own kaderos. And to top off a satisfying meal, just pick ripe bananas that they hang off nails that are pinned to an old tree right in the middle of the carinderia. Hole kung hole talaga!

This is my first to visit your blog, and I am already searching through archives and archives of past food posts, that I had to get up and take a break… this was making me hungry.

Anyway, though it may no longer be Monday, and there is already a new MIYO Monday question, I feel compelled to share with you my favorite hole-in-the-wall.

There’s this place on Mayon Street in Quezon City which sells Pares. I really do not know the name of the place, but they have the most delectable Beef Pares in Manila. I live in Paranaque but still manage to convince my dad to drive us all the way there for our serving of special Pares. It is open 24 hours and the crowds are constant, just differing in the demographic.

The beef is so tender, and the sauce so tasty. Served with it is a bowl of your regular libreng sabaw (amazing too), and a cup of rice topped with crunchy garlic bits.

Other really good food items on the menu are the buttered chicken (really cheap, really tasty), and the Camto Soup. Their pancit is good too.

My dad tells me that their cook is the original cook of the now more famous (and air-conditioned) Jonas’ Pares. This hole-in-the-wall place has definitely better Pares than Jonas…

Jean’s reply mentioned Mang Toot’s, the restaurant along P.Noval, beside UST. Mang Toot’s also has a dessert called Banana Rhumma. It is their version of turon with cinnamon and rhum. Totally unexpected in an unpretentious place.